Shameless Self Promotion- PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

[Faith]

I have a book review and giveaway of Alexandria by Lindsey Davis up at my blog. Comments welcome! Giveaway is for US only (sorry!) Open until midnight EDT June 14.

[Heikki]

Tulagi Hotel now issued by PfoxChase Publishing! Get it for 50% off at Smashwords, see http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/... and use code QK45Q

Also see www.tulagihotel.com/reviews.asp to see what Historical Novels Review thought of it ;)

Cheers,

-h.

[Allison]

I just started a blog. 'Just' as in yesterday and I'm new here but plan on being an active member.
http://imitationchef.blogspot.com

[Jackie]

Mmmmm, a food blog! *drools*

[Debra]

My blog is English Epochs 101. It is at http://englishepochs.blogspot.com.

I will be a more active member after I get my manuscript off to the publisher- very soon! :)

[Victoria_Grossack]

Every now and then a review comes in that is so wonderful that you have to share. This is what an English professor at Truman University had to say about our Greek-mythology trilogy:
Children of Tantalus: Niobe and Pelops
The Road to Thebes: Niobe and Amphion and Arrows of Artemis: Niobe and Chloris:

The result is a world we can fully inhabit, as compelling as Tolkien's but more rooted in actual history. The end result is a spellbinding entertainment which nonetheless reminds us -- in the spirit of Robert Graves's I, Claudius -- that lust for power, and desire, have complicated lives long before our time.

To see the entire review, go here: www.tapestryofbronze.com/ChildrenofTa...

Being grouped with Tolkien and Graves is simply awesome...!

And the review is also at The Copperfield Review, at www.copperfieldreview/reviews.html.

[Janice]

Congratulations Victoria! That review is a keeper. :)

[Debra]

Wonderful~ that must feel great! Congrats.

[Faith]

Tolkiin and Graves, great company.Congratulations!

[Amelie]

fabulous, victoria ... i liked the books alot!

[Victoria_Grossack]

Thanks, everyone, for the nice words! Now, for those interested in how characters' wants can be used to enhance the plot - either because you write yourself or because you want to understand how authors manipulate you (in a good way) please check out my June blog post:
http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...

[Wendy]

A group of historical fiction writers has just launched a beautiful website, http://www.PastTimesBooks.com , where you can browse for new books and authors. Our focus is eBooks, but many are available in print as well.

Our authors at Past Times Books are carefully selected, so you can be sure the quality of the books you find there is excellent. It's a friendly place, where you can get to know the authors through their interviews, and come back to post candid reviews for the books you've selected. Our authors love to hear from you!

Drop by to visit . . . we'd be delighted to welcome you. And we'll be adding new authors and new books constantly, so you may want to stop by regularly.

[Meg]

Jackie wrote: "Not sure if anyone here would be interested, but I'm hosting Smut-tember Fest for anyone who likes romance, erotica and just generally smutty reads...clean romance also qualifies. You can check out..."

LOL, Smut-tember! Very clever. I don't read smut but I love that title. :-D

[Debra]

My Victorian Era book, The Companion of Lady Holmeshire, is released and available in digital format. On the 15th, my launch day, it will be in print. I am having a PDF Giveaway for the prelaunch on my blog at http://englishepochs.blogspot.com.

[Jackie]

Congratulations Debra!

[Debra]

Thank you, I am beyond excited!

[J.A.]

Congrats.

[I.j.parker]

I'm thrilled to announce that finally Book One of the trilogy HOLLOW REED is up on Amazon Kindle. Introductory price: 2.99
The books tell the story of a Japanese noblewoman during the Heike Wars from her life as an imperial concubine to her struggles to support herself and her children as a geisha.
I.J.Parker
www./ijparker.com

[Debra]

I.j.parker wrote: "I'm thrilled to announce that finally Book One of the trilogy HOLLOW REED is up on Amazon Kindle. Introductory price: 2.99
The books tell the story of a Japanese noblewoman during the Heike Wars f..."


What a life. Congrats on the release!

[I.j.parker]

Thanks. They were hard times for women.

[Victoria_Grossack]

There are two items that I want to promote - my newest blog entry, on levels of structure in fiction: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
I think it's a good way to look at fiction.

The second, more exciting bit is a professor's review of The Road to Thebes: Niobe and Amphion and Arrows of Artemis: Niobe and Chloris. Here are a few of his words:

When I did some digging, I was amazed to find how accurate their retelling is with regard to the details of the mythology / legend… they add highly plausible psychological motivations and backstories to enrich the rather two-dimensional flat characters of the bare-bones original versions. Which is not to disparage the original telling: clearly some of these depths were implicit in the original tales. But Grossack and Underwood thoroughly develop what is only there potentially. The result is a crackling good read…It's all here in the Tapestry of Bronze series: romance, sex, suspense, violence, mystery, the machinations of the gods. After reading these books, you will want to visit rural Greece -- or at least go to your nearest Greek restaurant and enjoy some retsina and feta!

If you want to read the entire review, go here:
http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/TheRo...

And the review is also at The Copperfield Review, at www.copperfieldreview/reviews.html.


Thanks for letting me share!

[Debra]

I have finally received my first review of the final and published book. Just a blurb on my Companion of Lady Holmeshire page: http://bit.ly/iIoX71 .

[Prue]

i love reading everybody's comments, and even though i am just beginning the writer's road to a hsitorical fiction, I worry that i just don't have the time to read all the wonderful books listed. I'm also a fantasy writer and am tied up with publication in that genre, but am 3/4's of the way through writing a hist.fict/romance on the legendary Sir Guy Of Gisborne. Between publication, research of GG, writing and life, I'm lucky to read two books a month. Am 3/4's of the way through The Midnight Bride by Lucinda Brant (hist.fict/romance), followed by Anya Seaton's Katherine. I crave to read The Tapestry Shop, found on Hist Fictionistas and so many others. I'd love to include my blog link but feel quite embarrassed because of my slow reading rate, let alone my low comments, so I won't at this juncture. Best wishes to all!
The Stumpwork Robe

[Laura]

I have just published a book, Orestes: The Young Lion.

The Trojan War leaves Orestes, the prince of Mycenae, a spiritual orphan. He cannot remember his father Agamemnon, who leads the Achaean forces against Troy, and who seems to value glory and conquest above even the lives of his own children. And he is estranged from his mother Clytaemnestra, who never wanted him, and who, mad with grief over her murdered daughter, takes as her lover a rival kinsman who threatens to tear the royal family of Mycenae apart.

When the war ends, and the unthinkable happens, Orestes must flee for his life. As an exile far from home, can he survive long enough to grow to manhood and reclaim his birthright?

This is the first book in a trilogy, and is available on Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/The-Young-Lion-... and on Smashwords for those who don't have Kindle: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/....

I also have a journal devoted to Mycenaean and Minoan culture: http://helens-daughter.livejournal.com

[Shomeret]

Prue wrote: "i love reading everybody's comments, and even though i am just beginning the writer's road to a hsitorical fiction, I worry that i just don't have the time to read all the wonderful books listed. I..."

Re Guy of Gisborne novel-- Gisborne is usually portrayed as a villain or a more complex anti-hero. I was wondering (if it's not too much of a spoiler) what sort of a Guy of Gisborne you will be creating. Guy of Gisborne as the hero of a novel would be original. That would certainly turn the Robin Hood mythos on its head.

[Prue]

Shomeret, thank you for showing interest.
Gisborne is the hero or more particularly the anti-hero. There is no mention of Robin Hood, Sherwood or the machinations of the Sheriff of Nottingham, although there was in the original rough draft. Gisborne is an embittered man to be sure and it is my hope to show why the man is so and what path he may or may not take that might or might not redeem him.

The story began as a disgracefully rough draft fan-fict (see www.mesmered.wordpress.com) but at some point the style became more formal and begged to be fleshed out into something far more substantial. That's when I re-wrote the opening chapter and began hard research and stopped uploading it to my blog. It's a delight to write. Never have I felt so drawn to my two protagonists, as I do to the two in 'Gisborne'. There is a long way to go yet... to finish it (at 85,000 words so far with potential for sequel) and the need to have it professionally assessed, re-written, edited, edited and edited again.

Robin Hood as a hero has always dissatisfied me and I hate the way Gisborne is beheaded in the legendary poem. This is not for me and hopefully not for any interested readers. He may die of course, or not, but after covering my eyes and ears at Cromwell's beheading on 'The Tudors', its not likely to happen that way in anything I might or might not plan. I've got such a weak stomach...

[Shomeret]

I understand about writing Robin Hood fanfic. I used to write it myself though it was based on another earlier series. Will your Gisborne be similar to the Richard Armitage Gisborne? He was definitely the most interesting character in that Robin Hood series.

[Prue]

I would be lying if I said that the Richard Armitage character wasn't the inspiration. You could see that from the blog when the story began as a fan-fict. But that is where the similarity begins and ends as the BBC essentially played it fairly close to the original legend.

[Faith]

I have a new "History in the News" up on my blog. The introduction:

You can't kick a stone in the Middle East without uncovering an artifact. It's an archaeologist's paradise and a diplomat's nightmare. When it comes to biblical-related stories, there's always a furor. Does this artifact "prove" Jesus lived or does this inscription substantiate the story of David and Goliath? The past couple of months provided several stories touching on biblical narratives. The trend in returning looted artifacts to their rightful home is continuing with a couple of good news stories. Finally, it's been thirty years since Indiana Jones made archaeology sexy in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." But Dr. Jones preferred a bull whip and pistol to scientific methods. We'll see what scientific innovations have evolved since Indy's time. First story in our lineup: the city of Shekhem; supposedly the final burial site of Joseph of the many-colored coat.

[Priya]

My book Middle Time by Niyogi books, was launched on July 8th. Its a historical mystery set in Hampi,India.It deals with the journey of an Indian lawyer, who wants to find out who murdered her client, into medieval times, to uncover the secret of a murder, which would in turn unlock the key to the murder in twentieth century Chennai, India, where she works. Its available on flipkart.com, amazon.com, and abebooks.com

[Zoe]

For those who may be interested in the mostly unexplored times of pre-Columbian North America, I have a blog http://blog.zoesaadia.com/
and a novel The Cahokian (on Amazon and Smashwords) that touches the fall of a large North American Empire.
:)

[J.S.]

In quality paperback and new via Kindle, Bending the Boyne: A novel of ancient Ireland.

The Boyne complex of passage mounds in Ireland is older than Stonehenge and older than the Pyramids. For centuries it was rumored the great mounds were connected with the sun, moon and astronomy. Excavations in the latter part of the 20th century showed this to be true.

Why were these great mounds abandoned at around 2200 BCE?

Bending the Boyne won first place, historical fiction, Next Generation Indie Awards 2011.

"Thought-provoking and entertaining" -- the Irish News(Belfast), June 30, 2011.

[Prue]

J.S. wrote: "In quality paperback and new via Kindle, Bending the Boyne: A novel of ancient Ireland.

The Boyne complex of passage mounds in Ireland is older than Stonehenge and older than th..."

This sounds like a worthy read. As someone who is intrigued by legend, I would be interested to read it. Good luck.

[Victoria_Grossack]

Here are some excerpts I want to share from a prestigious review of our trilogy (Children of Tantalus: Niobe and Pelops, The Road to Thebes: Niobe and Amphion and Arrows of Artemis: Niobe and Chloris, set in Bronze Age Greece):

"… our authors have taken the often one-note moralizing of their ancient sources and fleshed it out in ways that initially strike the reader as fascinating and then become completely compelling. … The resulting books will draw inevitable comparisons to the work of both Robert Graves and Mary Renault, but throughout these books (an earlier volume, Jocasta: The Mother-Wife of Oedipus, is also not to be missed), Grossack and Underwood consistently manage a wit and breadth all their own. Readers will find themselves flying through these volumes, gripped the whole time. Very strongly recommended." – Steve Donoghue, Historical Novels Review Online, August 2011.

To read the entire review you can either go to
http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org...
or read it at our website http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/

Thanks for letting me share!

[Prue]

Excellent, Victoria. Congratulations.

[Donna]

So my friends here don't miss out, I'm holding a give-away on GR. You can sign up here http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
Its for my latest release To Serve a King, a novel of intrigue, murder, passion, and betrayal at the courts of Francois I and Henry VIII. You can download the first chapter at donnarussomorin.com.

[Gordon]

Hi,

If you're interested in the later Roman Empire, then here's a guest post of mine on AllThingsHistoricalFiction attempting to summarise why I am obsessed with the period:
http://allthingshistoricalfiction.blo...

Enjoy!
G

[Laura]

Hi,

For those interested in the Mycenaeans, I have just published a novel called Helen's Daughter, about Hermione, the daughter of Helen and Menelaus. She's one of those peripheral characters that no one's ever written a book about, even though she has an interesting story to tell.

It's 2.99 on Amazon Kindle and Smashwords, and you can sample it before buying.

When the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen of Sparta, she left behind a nine-year-old daughter, Hermione. And when Helen's husband Menelaus set out to recover her, Hermione was sent to her relatives at Mycenae to wait out the war.

Now, years later, the Trojan War is over. Nineteen-year-old Hermione eagerly awaits her father's return, but remains ambivalent toward her mother, even as her world is once again turned upside-down. Can Hermione survive the trials that await, or will she become another victim of the curse that haunts her family?

[I.j.parker]

My recent Kindle release DREAM OF A SPRING NIGHT (Book One of the HOLLOW REED trilogy) has just passed the sales ranking of 1000 and is headed lower. The other two books (UNSHEATHED SWORDS and DUST BEFORE THE WIND)are also selling, even though Book Three is a preorder and Book Two has only been available for 3 days.
Having worried that 12th c. Japan wouldn't be sufficiently interesting to readers, I'm thrilled to see it.

[I.j.parker]

Debra wrote: "Thank you, I am beyond excited!"

[I.j.parker]

You're very nice! :)

[I.j.parker]

I should perhaps add that I also write the Akitada series. These are mysteries set in the eleventh century. Sugawara Akitada is a low-ranking official who tries to bring justice to people who would otherwise be forgotten. You may check these out on my web site: www.ijparker.com

[Shomeret]

I had never read the Akitada series even though I do like historical mysteries set in Japan. Then I decided to read Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine Presents Fifty Years of Crime and Suspensebecause a story in it sounded intriguing. I came across "The Obon Cat" which is an Akitada story. I was interested in the characters and the Japanese cultural content. So I took a look at the latest book in the Akitada series that my local bookstore had and discovered that it's based on "The Obon Cat". I purchased it immediately. I'm in graduate school, however, so I don't know when I'll get to it. I do look forward to it. For other group members browsing this thread, the title of that Akitada book is The Masuda Affair.

[Steve]

Hello all,

My historical espionage thriller The Losing Role recently got a nice review at Red Adept Reviews that I'd like to share:

http://redadeptreviews.com/the-losing...

Also, I recently reviewed The Quest for Anna Klein by Thomas H. Cook for Noir Journal. It's about a would-be American spy who, starting in WWII, spends a lifetime tracking down the woman he longs for — and must avenge. I liked the second half but the first half can be slow going for some. It does a good job of showing the tough costs of pursuing vengeance.

I.J. Parker, your Akitada series sounds good to me. I look forward to giving it a go.

[I.j.parker]

Thanks, Steve. Will have a look at THE LOSING ROLE. It sounds exciting.

[Steve]

I.j.parker wrote: "Thanks, Steve. Will have a look at THE LOSING ROLE. It sounds exciting."

Oh, thanks for the interest. I hope you enjoy it. I look forward to revisiting the historical Japan I studied a little bit in grad school. Wanted to learn more but never had the time. Reading about it in fiction sounds better in any case.

[I.j.parker]

I have German background; hence my interest in your really fascinating topic. It should do very well in the present publishing climate.

As for my books: you can choose between mysteries and fiction. THE HOLLOW REED (TRILOGY ON KINDLE) deals with life during the Heike Wars. It has a bit of everything: romance, violence, and samurai sword fights.

[I.j.parker]

Shomeret, THE MASUDA AFFAIR is a good one. Enjoy! And thank you.

[Steve]

I.j.parker wrote: "I have German background; hence my interest in your really fascinating topic. It should do very well in the present publishing climate.

As for my books: you can choose between mysteries and f..."

Well, I.J., you've covered many centuries and continents. That's great to see! And I've lived in Germany. I enjoy Goodreads for meeting readers from various backgrounds. Thanks for the tip about your books. I think I'll start with a mystery, since it's closer to what I write and read. Of course my to-read pile is enormous.

[I.j.parker]

Alas, so is mine. Deadlines get in the way. I'm new to Goodreads, so I don't know anyone yet (just the two of you who responded).